Bears win battle of backup quarterbacks over Packers

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on November 4, 2013, 11:51 PM EST

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Holding a 24-20 lead, the Chicago Bears took over on their 11-yard line with 9:48 left to play. The Green Bay Packers didn’t touch the ball again on offense until less than a minute to play in the game.

Matt Forte, Michael Bush and Josh McCown led the Bears’ offense on a masterful 18-play, 80-yard drive that spanned nearly nine minutes of game time to help Chicago earn a 27-20 victory over the Packers on Monday night.

The game-clinching drive for Chicago featured a gutsy call from Bears’ head coach Marc Trestman to go for it on 4th and inches at their own 32-yard line. Forte gained three yards to extend the drive and the Packers defense just couldn’t manage to force the Bears offense off the field. Robbie Gould’s 27-yard field goal gave the Bears a seven-point cushion.

Seneca Wallace, playing in place of an injured Aaron Rodgers, had 46 seconds to attempt a miracle comeback but was sacked twice on the Packers’ final possession as time expired.

McCown was efficient in relief of Chicago starter Jay Cutler. McCown completed 22 of 41 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears.

The Packers rushing attack and a surprise onside kick recovery helped keep Green Bay in the game as Wallace struggled in the passing game.

Trailing 17-10, Eddie Lacy broke free for a 56-yard gain down to the Chicago 1-yard line on the Packers first offensive snap of the third quarter. Lacy finished the deal on the next play to score the Packers’ second rushing touchdown of the night to tie the game. Lacy had a stellar performance for the Packers with 150 yards on 22 carries. James Starks also had six carries for 40 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers then pulled out a surprise onside kick to re-gain possession of the ball. Mason Crosby’s kick was lifted high into the air where Micah Hyde jarred the ball free from Blake Costanzo. Jamari Lattimore made his second major special teams contribution of the night for the Packers is recovering the loose ball. He also blocked a punt for the Packers in the first half.

Green Bay got lucky to be able to take the lead as a pass from Wallace went right through the hands of Bears’ linebacker James Anderson and into the waiting arms of James Jones deep in Bears’ territory. The Packers moved to the Bears 5-yard line but the drive stalled after two Wallace incompletions as Green Bay settled or a 23-yard field goal from Crosby to give them a 20-17 lead.

The Bears quickly responded to jump back on top. McCown connected with Alshon Jeffery for a 6-yard touchdown to give the Bears a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The more pressing matter for the Packers in the health of Rodgers, who left the game in the first quarter with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. Packers’ guard T.J. Lang also left the game with a concussion.

Two things, and I am going to sound bitter but whatever. 1. That is not even a game with Rodgers. 2. Bears fans can’t say “if Cutler played”, Cutler is 1-7 with 17 INTS against the Packers, McCown actually gave them a better chance.

The Packers lost this one clearly due to a key problem that I hammered them at the very beginning of the season, and that was terrible mismanagement of the backup QB position. And now they lost a game on account of not figuring out a better solution in advance. I love it.

LOL!! The only thing more pathetic than the (soft) packer football team who got sliced by a backup QB was having to look at the hick packer fans….my GOD!! Worst fans in football.
BTW….Bears showed what happens when you have a good GM that is prepared for the need of a back up QB.

Mike McCarthy not challenging that catch was one of the worst decisions I’ve seen a head coach make. They better call in Matt Flynn regardless of how long Rodgers is out and try to get a half decent o-line. We see now where they stand without him.

I don’t know what to make of this game really. Packers defense should be ashamed about most of this game especially that final drive. Need to step up at home when you’re down four with almost ten minutes left.

Oh well though..I hope the Bears do make it to the playoffs…my Niners could use them as a nice stepping stone into the divisional round.

Turned out to be a great game to watch, though the holding penalty call on Bennett in the last few minutes was a real stretch. The Packers had -0- penalties, not one holding call. The only week 9 team not to have a penalty called against them was the Packers.

I honestly hadn’t watched any Bear games this year but WOW what improvement on the offensive line. I know there is no Clay Mathews but the McCown had all day to let Marshall and Jeffery tear up those Packer CB’s.

The play calling from Marc Trestman is pretty special as well. Capers just kept getting caught. McCarthy was gutsy on that surprise onside quick and it payed off. Bears fans I am sure you guys may agree with me but Major Wright may be one of the worst safeties in the NFL. The angles he takes try to stop the run are horrid. He made Eddie Lacey look like a legend.

Congrats. You beat a Packers team that didn’t have Rodgers. Also, you needed the refs’ help. The non-catch by Quarless late in the 1st half killed a pretty good drive and he gained possession. Fluke win by the Bears.

Hopefully Rodgers isn’t hurt too badly. I’m a Bears fan but there’s no way I’m going to wish ill on Rodgers unlike quite a few of the Packer fans that post on here who had quite the laugh when Cutler got injured.

I’m a Packers fan. The injury to Aaron Rodgers is no excuse. Injuries are part of the game, and we should know as well as any other team that it truly is, “next man up.”

Anyway, this loss is on the defense. How many times did they allow a conversion on third down? How many times did they miss an easy tackle that should’ve been a loss of yards? How many times did they allow Josh McCown to look like Aaron Rodgers?

I don’t care who’s injured on defense. Dom Capers, I’m sorry, but your time is up. Ever since the Super Bowl victory, your play-calling and personnel decisions have been awful. In this game, against Josh McCown, why are we not blitzing more? Why are we constantly rushing four guys and playing zone? Why are we constantly allowing these receivers to get clean releases?

The Packers defense lacks any aggression (aside from Clay Matthews, who didn’t even play). We’re a soft unit. We cannot tackle. And we especially cannot ever get off the field on third down (particularly third-and-long).

If other Packers fans will swallow their pride (as I have) and look at our defense as is, then you will see what I’m talking about.

Though I hope Aaron can get back healthy because the packs need him the game was still very competitive and entertaining. This isn’t a year ago where If Aaron goes down you have no offense. With Lacey and Starks at back and give Wallace a week of practice they are still a good offense. Hope its not a big injury and on another note this division got really interesting going down the stretch.

For a battle of not just 2 qbs, but key defensive players and offensive weapons on both sides of the ball. Both teams look deep. Both teams were well coached and prepared. Each team’s strengths and weaknesses were on full display. I am looking forward to watching their battle for division champion. Easily the best rivalry in the NFL.

Seneca fn wallace????? Seneca Wallace???
Holy crap, I have a daughter that is 3 inches taller than him.
He looked absolutely lost on the field. MM was in shock. Apparently Seneca doesn’t get to practice much, I think he had to ask MM what a football looked like.
They said he played in 30 games in his 10 years.
If Rogers is out for a while, and I have every reason to believe he will be out for a while, this team can just pack it in if they stick with Wallace. Season over. No reason to rush back from injury, your not going to win.

All credit to the Bears O – Rodgers or not, they would have had their way with the GB defense. With Rodgers in it’s more likely Packers keep pace and maybe win a shootout, but McCown, those WR and the OC had a great game plan and executed.

I love the false congratulations from the likes of filthy and tokyo…. You guys talked trash the last three years about Cutler being a quitter, and now your quarterback is nowhere to be seen last night.

Why? It’s called INJURIES. They happen to everyone. I don’t question Rodgers, Cutler, or any NFL player for that matter. Rodgers is tough SOB, and so is Cutler. When you can’t play, you just can’t play. And let’s not play the “who has it worse with injuries” game. Every team has it. The “Rodgerless Packers win” comments are asinine. The Bears were without their QB (who was rated in the top 10 this year pre-injury) and top two Pro Bowlers on defense (Melton and Briggs). Next man up indeed.

I fail to understand, how anyone called this a fluke or because Rodgers didn’t play? Or it was only 7 points. If anyone on here really knows about the oldest and BIGGEST rivalry in the history of the game then they would not make such butt hurt comments. Both teams were without their best Offensive(Cutler and Rodgers) and Defensive(Briggs and Matthews) players. Evenly matched battle and was one hell of a game. I have much respect for the Packers. This was far and away the best game of this season. Hope Rodgers returns quickly, hate to see a player go down. Injuries have decimated the Bears and Packers, yet they still manage to play well. What a game!!!

Glad you feel that way, now we can get rid of the Cutler-less 2010 champ game.
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Nice try, but Cutler didn’t go out until halftime. You only had to worry about Rodgers for one drive.